Solutions+Resources



Solutions is a topic covered in Chapter 14 of your textbook. A certain amount of prior knowledge, or background information, is needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of solutions. We have covered most of these concepts during the first semester of this course, and the other pieces of information were covered more recently in Chapter 9. You should be able to tie the new information we are studying in class to these previously covered concepts. You may want to spend some time refreshing your memory by visiting the following chapters in your textbook and familiarizing yourself with the vocabulary and concepts they offer:

Chapter 3 - classification of matter: solutions, alloys, heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures Chapter 8 - ionic compounds Chapter 9 - covalent compounds Chapter 11 - determining moles and molar mass

I have provided some additional resources for reviewing these concepts. Two award-winning teachers who currently teach in Woodland Park CO, Jonathan Bergmann & Aaron Sams, have created interactive bonding videos which may be useful.

Intro to Chemistry: Covalent Bonds 1/2 Intro to Chemistry: Covalent Bonds 2/2 Intro to Chemistry: Ionic Bonding 1/2 Intro to Chemistry: Ionic Bonding 2/2

Solutions are involved in all aspects of our lives, from the tea and soda we drink to the liquid detergents we use to wash our dishes, the antifreeze that protects the functioning of the cars we drive, and the medicine that drips through intravenous lines in hospitals. Solutions are combinations of at least two ingredients, such as water and salt. The substance present in the larger quantity is the //solvent//, and the one present in the smaller quantity is the //solute//. A defining characteristic of solutions is their uniformity, where every part of a solution is the same as any other part; this is called a //homogeneous mixture//. For example, when cola is examined on a microscopic level, the same number of sugar molecules are present in each ounce. For most solutions, the solvent is water. Solutions do not have to be liquids. Air is a solution composed of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases. The nitrogen is the solvent, because it accounts for nearly 80% of any sample of air. There are also solid solutions. One of the most common solid solutions is brass, a solution of copper and zinc. A mixture of two metals is also called an //alloy//.
 * Solution Chemistry**

An important aspect of solutions is their concentration. In general, the higher the ratio of solute to solvent, the more concentrated the solution. Kool-Aid is a drink that can be prepared to be as dilute or as concentrated as you prefer. By adding water the concentration decreases, or in other words, makes the Kool-Aid more dilute.

When the solute and solvent are put together, there is a limit as to how much solute can dissolve. When sugar is added to iced tea and all of it dissolves, the solution is said to be //unsaturated//. When too much sugar is stirred into iced tea, some of the sugar does not dissolve and can be seen settling at the bottom of the glass. The liquid in the glass has dissolved as much sugar as it can, and so the solution is said to be //saturated//. It is possible under some circumstances to have more solute dissolved than is theoretically possible. This is an unstable and temporary situation called //supersaturation//.
 * Saturation**

You can access reading assignments, tutorials, videos, practice sheets, and other information for each section in this chapter by clicking on the appropriate link:

15.1: Solubility Curves and Henry's Law 15.2 15.3: Colligative Properties 15.4

You should be able to answer the once you gain a basic understanding of the concepts in this chapter.

Solvation of Ionic Compounds Dissolution of Ionic vs Molecular Compounds Tyndall Effect Animation media type="file" key="Henry's law.mp4" width="108" height="108" media type="file" key="NASA Vacuum Chamber Bubbling Soda.mp4" width="126" height="126"
 * Animations**

Back Home